George Carlin

So the great George Carlin died this week. I know I'm a bit late but here is what I have to say about that.

I loved comedians when I was a kid. It wasn't until I was in 6th grade or so that I discovered George Carlin. When I heard him and got what he was saying, I feel like that is the point in time when my sense of humor grew up. Prior to that I was listening to a lot of Bill Cosby, who I really respect as a comedian, but his stuff was geared to kids and people who have them. Kids got Cosby because they were still doing the things that he was talking about. Parents got him because they saw their kids doing that stuff. It was all about the kids.

Carlin was different. He was my gateway drug into the world of comedy for grown ups. It wasn't just the language. I had heard plenty of comics that used profanity in their acts before, Carlin was just different. He didn't say fuck and shit and goddammit just for the sake of those words being funny, he used that language because that is they way grown ups talk. There was no beating around the bush with Carlin. He had strong opinions and he was going to let you know what they were. If something made him angry he was going to let you know that it was some kind of motherfucking bullshit.

Carlin was my launching pad into the humor that I still love today. In all of the current comedians that I follow, his influence is incredibly evident. Every time I hear Patton Oswalt, or Lewis Black, or David Cross, I think of how they probably spent hours upon hours listening to George Carlin albums which were probably the inspiration for them getting into comedy in the first place.

Thanks to Carlin I was able to discover other comics like Lenny Bruce and Bill Hicks. Guys who were pioneers in the world of observational humor. I don't mean bullshit did you ever notice blah blah blah Seinfeld style observational humor. No sir. I mean in your face what the fuck is wrong with the world we're all going straight to hell and that's the way it is observational humor.

So thank you Mr. Carlin. Thank you for helping me grow up. Thank you for helping my sense of humor mature. Thank you for all of the hours of entertainment. George Carlin will be missed, but at least he helped create a generation of genuinely funny comedians to follow in his footsteps.

Cool New Search Engine

Try this out. I like it and I'll have an actual review of it after I play around with it a little more.

Here it is

Wishful thinking Rob

That's what Rob thinks because he just, for whatever reason, can't bring himself to believe that Iron Man is a Skrull. Hero worship is a powerful thing I suppose. It all makes sense though, doesn't it? I mean who has done more to divide the heroes in the Marvel Universe than Iron Man lately. Divide and conquer anyone? He tore the fabric of the universe basically in 2 with the whole Civil War thing which puts the Skrulls in prime position to invade. It all makes sense to me.

Unless, and feel free to insert a giant drum roll here, Spider Man is a Skrull. That's right, Spider Man. He has played both sides of the Civil War coin and has worked pretty hard in his own right to divide the heroes. He may be the link to this whole thing. I know what you're thinking, Marvel wouldn't Skrull Spidey after the whole Spider Clone debacle would they? If you're thinking they wouldn't screw that up again I would like to welcome you to the world of Marvel Comics as you are obviously new here.

What if the Peter Parker we all know and love is a filthy, dirty, disgusting, Skrull? Wouldn't that set you on your collective asses?
I think it would.

Of course none of it matters as they are going to reboot the entire Marvel Universe anyway after Punisher shows up and kills everyone. Or maybe it's just coincidence that they are re-releasing the Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe one shot right before he gets involved in Secret Invasion.

No No No No No

iron man is not a skrull - i know you all disagree. i know it looked pretty clear that he was. but i'll be proven right on this one... (sob)